Harsha urges Govt. to hire cars for CHOGM VVIPs without purchasing

By Ashwin Hemmathagama

Our Lobby

correspondent

UNP MP Dr. Harsha de Silva yesterday suggested the Government should “hire vehicles including the proposed 12 Rolls-Royce Ghost motor cars” for the upcoming CHOGM instead of making outright purchases at a possible “over invoiced price,” which is a waste of public money for a period of a few days to “drive around the VVIPs”.

“When a Rolls-Royce was bought to Sri Lanka on 17 January this year, the value was US$ 175,000. I explored the possibilities of bringing the same car at that price, which is generally sold around US$ 300,000. The same vehicle which was imported in January 2013 for US$ 175,000 is now offered to the Government for US$ 290,000 for the CHOGM.



This could be over-invoicing that needs to be investigated.  “Recently I highlighted what happened to the Deputy President of Uganda who had to resign and was imprisoned having imported some vehicles for the CHOGM held in 2007 where US$ 4 million fraud had taken place. If you bring 120 cars including the 12 Rolls-Royces, each vehicle will be around US$ 295,000 including the freight and insurance. Once converted, this is Rs. 453 million. In Trinidad Tobago in 2009 to hold the CHOGM in parallel with the Summit of Americas, 200 regular vehicles including Prado, SantaFe, and Mazda vehicles were imported, where each vehicle cost US$ 33,600.

“After the summit they sold it to various parties. If in fact you want some vehicles to drive around VVIPs, what do you do?  You don’t buy Rolls-Royces, but rent them. There are many such places in the world. AHLAN is such place (http://www.letsdriverentacar.com). If you want to bring in Rolls-Royce I will give you all the details to rent. On this site they offer a Rolls-Royce Ghost on rent for US$ 945 per day. I telephoned them and they are willing to put the car inside a container and ship it here for a period of 10 days for hire. So, including the freight, insurance and the rent for the 12 Rolls-Royce Ghost cars, the total cost will be US$ 286,000, which is less than the price of buying such car. This is the way to protect that national money in this matter,” he said, joining the debate on the new regulations under the Import and Export (Control) Act published in the Gazette Extraordinary No. 1804/17.

However, Minister of International Monetary Co-operation and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Sarath Amunugama stated that Rolls-Royce cars would not be brought in for the CHOGM, adding that this was also confirmed by Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris this week in Parliament.

Dr. de Silva, who didn’t want to accept the assurance given by Minister Peiris in Parliament, said: “What is actually happening differs from what he states in this House. He has stated many times that the 13th Amendment will stay with additional benefits. But none of it is given. He has also told Hilary Clinton that economic development in the north is 22%, which is not the case. He has said that LLRC report has been implemented. I am sorry to say that G.L. Peiris’ words cannot be believed. He said so many things in the past which have completely gone the other way.”